No Smoking Day 2023: Ex-smokers in Wakefield Lead the Campaign

Wakefield is in the top five locations in Yorkshire, England, and has the highest success rates for kicking the smoking habit after four weeks. Many of them stopped after receiving support from NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Wakefield, a service funded by Wakefield Council, which provides expert NHS advice and treatment.

People Quit Smoking with a Lot of Support Options

Two of the people helped by the local service are Eric and Marie. Eric stopped smoking last year at the age of 80. Pensioner Eric’s great passion is his greenhouse and garden, and growing fruit and vegetables. He felt that keeping occupied has helped him quit. It keeps his brain and his hands busy and his mind off wanting a cigarette. Marie tried new products and said this change has been key to stopping. She could not have done it without the aid of nicotine replacement therapy or the help she received from NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Wakefield, who have done all they can to support her to achieve her goal. She felt great to hear other people’s experiences which can encourage your quit attempt.

So many times, their goal to be smoke-free has seemed unreachable, but this time it is here, and it`s a great feeling knowing this year I will be smoke-free on ‘No Smoking Day.’

Smoking rates in the Wakefield district have fallen in recent years, mirroring the trend seen nationally and regionally. But the stats in Wakefield, 15.6 percent, is much higher than compared to the national average of 13 percent, costing the Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust an estimated £17.3m.

It is a bleak picture in the district, with higher-than-average smoking rates, but they wanted to use No Smoking Day 2023 as an opportunity to be optimistic and share people’s journeys from smoking to quitting.

Earlier You Quit Smoking, the More You are Likely to Benefit

People who smoke are three times more likely to stop with support, and the friendly and flexible Smokefree service has helped thousands of people across the district. They offer support tailored to your needs which includes telephone, online, and face-to-face help.

This year’s national No Smoking Day is focusing on the harm smoking does to the brain. People who smoke are more likely to get dementia, but that risk is reduced once they stop.

Only 14 percent of people who smoke in Yorkshire and Humber know that smoking increases the risk of dementia, compared to 80 percent who know that smoking causes lung diseases or cancers.

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Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. Quitting is much easier when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from. Even if you have tried before, maybe more than once, you can still succeed. What you have already learned will help you reach your goal of becoming an ex-smoker.

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Source-Medindia